Christmas Challenge 3

Sandmanjazz has shared a fun challenge! Want to join in? I don’t celebrate Christmas, but I’m still playing.

Red is not my favorite color, so it’s probably in the least number of saved pics. But I can scrounge up a few…

My first photo on this blog.

Bouquet at my daughter’s.

My fancy shoes and kitty.

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Thursday Inspo 85

Welcome to Thursday Inspiration! This is my weekly prompt and hopefully it will inspire you to write something creative, perhaps a poem or a piece of flash fiction. I will try to visit everyone who links back to this post. 🙂

This week’s theme is school and the image is above. Here’s a snippet of song from Steely Dan’s “My Old School.”

Well, I did not think the girl
Could be so cruel
And I’m never going back
To my old school

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Bloggerz 5

Rory’s done it again, peeps ~ given us 12 wacky questions, that is! Please note that my title reflects only how many “12 Bloggerz” I have participated in, not how many exist. 😜

1. When not specifically following ‘set’ directions everyone has a favourited direction they prefer to walk in – which is yours left or right and why do you think you always want to go that direction first?

Right. Because I’m right. Also, I’m right-handed. In Australia, I’d likely go left… and probably be bitten by some nasty venomous creature. 🐍

2. What’s the creepiest thing that has ever happened to you – irrelevant to your personal beliefs – just something that creeped you out – and yet you simply couldn’t explain it?

All this grey hair and cellulite lately… what is happening omg?!

3. Who are your top five actors/actresses and what is special about them to you?

Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock. They’re great, that’s why.

4. Which prompts do you participate in weekly with your blog – please list?

I host the Monday Peeve and Thursday Inspo. I almost always participate in Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday, Melanie’s Share Your World, Fandango’s Provocative Question, and Linda’s SOC Saturday. Other prompts I do as time and mood permit.

5. Have you taken the 16 Personalities Test and if so – what Personality Type are you and how accurate is it to you?
Free Personality Test

I just took it, not realizing it was a Meyers-Brigg thing. Again, I confirmed I’m an INFJ. Supposedly, this is the rarest type ~ the Advocate. Some of the description fits me and some doesn’t. I am introverted and passionate and picky, but I have no interest in any of the “helping” careers. They have way too much contact with people.

6. Are you easily embarrassed – when was the last time for you?

Yes. Too embarrassed to say…

7. Has anything shocked you in the last 6 weeks to the point where you have gasped out aloud – if so what was it and if not, then when was the last time you were terribly shocked by something?

Yes, last week at my daughter’s. We thought we saw a giant bug on her wall, but it was just two spiders tangled up. 🕷🕷

8. If you have one what is your signature dish and if you don’t have one what would you love to be able to cook wonderfully well?

I like to make layered bean dip for parties.

9. Strangest or wildest place you ever had the most amazing sex in or on maybe, even around …….?

My imagination…

10. Why is it healthy to flirt with people you have no intention of doing the naughty with and how often do you flirt with people you know or even don’t know?

Because flirting can be creative and fun. I don’t do much of it these days though.

11. Can you list 9 things that you can ride in, on or with?

Car, train, bus, trolley, scooter, surfboard, horse, camel, elephant. 🐘

12. Are you on Santa’s Naughty or Good list and if you are – what have you asked for from either?

Good List. I would like socks, thank you!

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

FPQ98: To Bitch or Not To Bitch…

I’m honored that Fandango chose my question for this week’s provocative ask…

When it comes to your friends, your spouse, your significant other, or members of your family, is it better to confront them about things they say or do that bother or upset you or is it better to try to ignore those things in order to maintain peace in your relationship?

(I deliberately didn’t include work in this question due to its layers of complexity depending on our status. Hopefully, we are all equal in other types of relationships.)

To respond adequately to this, I will have to mention my dear parents (RIP). They were confrontational, maybe to an extreme. Their philosophy was that if you didn’t express a thought or feeling, it would get “bottled up” and explode. Consequently, they subjected each other to a nonstop barrage of criticism, with nothing off-limits, day after day, year after year.

I reacted very negatively to living with constant arguing (though I understood my parents loved each other). I wondered why you would treat any random stranger with more tact and kindness than you displayed toward your spouse. This informed my views to the extent that I swore to never live like this. If someone didn’t treat me with respect and support, I didn’t want anything to do with them. Also, it was with extreme reluctance that I ever mentioned any dissatisfaction. I didn’t confront ~ I just bailed. Sometimes it took a while though…

As has been documented repeatedly, I’m bad at choosing romantic partners, and part of that is due to both being unwilling to speak up when something bothers me, and also being highly intolerant of criticism directed at me. Oh no, I would think, this is just like my parents, I’m out. What about friendships then?

I’m a little more willing to express feelings with friends than I am a partner. Why? Because there’s less at stake. Forex, I have often said to friends that they’re too loud. Once, I straight up walked out of a gathering because everyone was yelling over a game and wouldn’t stop. But nothing happened ~ I joined them the next time, no biggie. I didn’t have to sleep with them that night. 🤣

Basically, bottom line: I don’t see much point in being regularly critical of someone. Save it for something hugely important and rare. If you can live with a minor annoyance, then do that. If you’re constantly annoyed, or constantly criticized, perhaps that’s a sign to leave the relationship.

Oh, I don’t criticize my daughters because they are perfect, duh. 💖💖

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Christmas Challenge 2

Sandmanjazz has shared a fun challenge! Want to join in? I don’t celebrate Christmas, but I’m still playing.

Last week at my daughter’s we watched Last Christmas, which I had wanted to see for a while. I adore Emilia Clarke (Daenerys in GOT) and also Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians). It also had Michelle Yeoh as the shop owner, and she was hilarious. The movie started out in an interesting way, but then became boring in the middle. However! It turned into a mystery with a fab twist. OMG. I was not expecting that at all, and the ending made the whole movie wonderful. It’s now my favorite Christmas movie! 🎄

We also watched 12 Dates of Christmas, which was cute, but predictable. Think Groundhog Day with eggnog and cookies. I enjoyed Four Christmases some years ago ~ Reese Witherspoon is always a treat. I know I’ve seen other holiday movies, but my mind is a blank right now.

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Christmas Challenge 1

Sandmanjazz has shared a fun challenge! Want to join in? I don’t celebrate Christmas, but I will still participate.🎄

My view today is my office desk, computer, phone, and family photos. I’m alone here, so it’s nice and quiet. When the sun sets, I’ll see if I can get a good pic through the window.

Meh. No clouds to make it interesting.

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Truthful Tuesday Hobbies

PCGuyIV continues his weekly prompt series by asking us today: With the exception of blogging (assuming it’s a hobby and not your profession), do you have any unique hobbies or pastimes?

I did the above painting at my daughter’s house over Thanksgiving and I’m really pleased with it! I’ve painted before, but this is the first project I’m proud of. I did some at painting events over the past few years, but those are a bit rushed for me. When we do them at home, we can pause the video and take our time. Plus, I like to choose the easy designs to follow since I am not that artistic. Diane is super talented, so she can do the more difficult ones. I enjoyed this so much that she bought the supplies for me, and now I can do more by myself! 😍

The best painting videos are produced by the Art Sherpa on YouTube, in case anyone is interested. 🎨

I’ve dabbled with other creative hobbies in the past, such as designing my own crewel and needlepoint pictures, beadwork, tee shirt painting, cake decorating, etc. None of those hold much appeal for me now. Partly it’s due to my eyes getting so tired/itchy, and partly it’s due to slight arthritis in my hands. But these small painting projects work great for me! ❤️

The above beauty is one Diane did. I may try a similar project soon.

By the way, I don’t consider writing to be a hobby. First, it’s more of an obsession, like breathing; and second, I hope to make money at it. The good news is I’ve already made a whopping ten cents from my poetry on Medium. Woohoo!💰

PS: My rainbow tree painting also counts as my Weekly Smile. 🙂

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Competition [dating story]

It was a contest like no other.

I met him online, of course, on one of the many dating sites. Match? POF? OKC? I don’t remember. You know what’s funny ~ dating site snobbery. People will go on about how one site is so much “better” than the others, maybe because they paid. When we spend money on a thing, we don’t want to believe we’ve thrown our money away. People swear that eHarmony is superior to POF, but you know what? I encountered the same jerks in both places. And they all had OKC accounts too. Whatever, right? Let’s call this guy Bill.

Bill seemed great in chat. He was “honest” and told me he’d been chatting with a lot of women. Okay. He did have the time ~ he didn’t work and was a part-time SAHD to three toddlers. His ex-wife had to pay him because she made gobs of money. There’s a twist. Soon Bill confessed he’d recently been talking to only me and one other woman, Betty. He said that he really liked me, but he really liked Betty too. She lived in Mexico City though, which made it harder to meet for coffee. I agreed to meet for coffee.

We had a nice time over coffee and convo. Bill told me that he thought it would be a neat idea to set up a competition between Betty and me, so he could see which one of us was best for him. Betty had agreed to fly up from Mexico City to stay with Bill for a few days. After the visit, Bill would decide between us. He encouraged me to chat with him while Betty visited, since he enjoyed our texting so much. I do give good text. 🙂

The contest amused and intrigued me. There was Betty, visiting Bill at his place, sleeping with him, no doubt; and here I was trying to be witty and smart to win Bill intellectually. Needless to say, the physical visit beat my words on a screen. Shocking! Bill told me right away that Betty had won the contest because he didn’t want to lead me on.

Mark Manson has a rule for a potential romantic relationship ~ if you can’t say “hell yes” to them immediately, and get a “hell yes” immediately in return, then the answer automagically becomes “hell no.” Agreeing to be part of a contest because someone can’t decide between two women would fall into the “hell no” category. When you encounter a mutual “hell yes,” it will be apparent right away. I realize there are exceptions, but it’s a good rule regardless.

Though I’ve quit dating, I was inspired to share this tale for MLM’s writing prompt. Thank you in advance for refraining from giving me advice! Feel free however to discuss your own experience in comments.

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Recycled Share

Melanie has some recycled questions for us today. I don’t remember these, so they’re new to me!

1. What would you enjoy if you could do so without someone getting annoyed with you for enjoying it? It MUST be something you aren’t supposed to enjoy because it is “bad for you”.

I can’t think of anything that fits all 3 groups. I enjoy using “colorful” language, which annoys (some) people, but it’s not bad for me. I like eating dessert as a meal, which is bad for me, but it doesn’t annoy anyone. Trolling is bad for me, and it annoys people, but I don’t enjoy it (anymore).

2. Is it okay for men to wear the color pink?

Of course!

3. Can you curl your tongue?

Yep.

4. What, in your opinion, is the best room to put a fireplace?

A cold one. 🥶🔥

5. How do you show your gratitude?

I buy a gift or bake something.

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

The Monday Peeve 64

Smiles and positive posts are all well and good, but sometimes I need to vent a bit. How about you? That’s what The Monday Peeve is all about, a chance to blow off a little steam at the beginning of the week, so then we can go merrily on our way once again (hah). I’ll pick a topic that’s on my mind, but you can vent about whatever you please, here in comments or on your own blog. Grab the photo, use the TMP tag, link back to me (or not), and Bob’s yer uncle. I do reserve the right to delete any links that offend my delicate sensibilities. So far, none have, but it could happen. I have feelings!

Today’s peeve is about writing poetry on my phone. Why can’t we get text single-spaced there? What is with the obsession of whoever designs code to put auto-double spacing for “enter” everywhere? It’s soooo annoying! We can do so much with technology, but a single-space “enter” option? Ooh no, can’t do it. When I write on my phone here on WP I have to go into the html and put BR everywhere I want single spacing. It’s a pain in the butt to be sure, but at least it’s possible to get rid of the extra white space, if I spend the time. But on Medium? NOPE. I contacted the help menu and was told it is impossible. Huh. We can send dudes to the moon, but no one can figure out how to create a single-space option for phone poems. It should ALWAYS be an option, imo ~ we shouldn’t even have to “shift-return” on a regular keyboard. There should be a button to click for single or double spacing throughout a piece of text, just as we can bold or italicize it. WHY IS THIS NOT A THING?

~*~

©️2020 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.